Physiological Mechanism of Pulsatility of Portal Venous Flow in Healthy Adults
Source abstract
Abstract
Portal venous (PV) flow Doppler velocimetry assesses venous congestion in heart failure, showing PV pulsatility due to backward transmission of right atrial pressure (RAP) through the sinusoids. However, PV pulsatility has also been observed under physiological conditions. We aimed to elucidate the mechanisms and contributing factors of PV pulsatility in healthy adults. Pulsed-wave Doppler recordings of the hepatic venous (HV) and PV flow were obtained with electrocardiography. A- and V-wave velocities and their timings relative to the P- and R-waves (P-HVA, R-HVV) were measured from the HV waveforms. From PV waveforms, atrial and ventricular systolic descent flow velocities and their timings (P-PVA, R-PVV) were measured. The PV pulsatility index (VPI) was calculated. There were no differences between P-PVA and P-HVA, and between R-PVV and R-HVV, indicating similar waveforms. Seventy-nine percent of participants showed a VPI ≥ 0.3, with a higher VPI in younger vs. older participants (0.7 vs. 0.3, p < 0.01). Only age was independently associated with VPI (β = −0.56, p < 0.01). PV pulsatility was common in healthy adults, suggesting RAP transmission via the sinusoids; this physiological phenomenon was attenuated with aging. These findings highlight the importance of considering age-related physiological changes when interpreting the PV flow.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Liver Disease and Transplantation · Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis · Venous Thromboembolism Diagnosis and Management
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, N12, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, N12, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hokkaido Cardiovascular Hospital, S27, W13, 1-30, Chuo-Ku, Sapporo 064-8622, Japan
Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, N14, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8648, Japan
Diagnostic Center for Sonography, Hokkaido University Hospital, N14, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8648, Japan
Management Strategy Department, Hokkaido University Hospital, N14 W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8648, Japan
Funding
Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING) program of the Japan Science and Technology Agency at Hokkaido University
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Show source-provided references
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